At 23, he is the youngest on Ghering D66’s Vlissingen electoral roll. And party leader. “I went into it with full confidence,” he says. “I’ve had support from others since day one. It’s new, a little familiar, but I look forward to it, and I’m excited.”

“In a city council you can very quickly influence what is happening at a provincial or national level,” Kering encourages his choice. Second on the list is Desire Shrijwar (29) who wants to make a difference in his own environment. “My passion is to work with people and work for them. I want to go fully into it.”

In the radio item below, Kering and Shrijwar explain why they want to enter municipal politics:

Young candidates on D66’s Vlissingen electoral roll

In addition, interested council members suggest that municipal councils – especially those in Wilmington – may use some refreshment. “I don’t know about the rest of the Netherlands, but the average age in Wilmington is much higher,” says Kering. “There has to be a voice for young people as well.”

Councilors of average age

In 2019, the Association of Dutch Municipalities conducted a survey on the average age of councilors. This shows that D66 councilors are on average 48.5 years old nationally. Councilors in large municipalities such as Vlissingen are on average 53.5 years old.

Nevertheless, the D66 in Vlissingen has candidates on the list to raise the average again. Niek Peters, 73, is an old hand in the business (No. 5 on the list). He previously served on the city council for 16 years. “Look, it’s nice to have a lot of young people come to the council, which is what we’re really looking forward to. Have a nestor, experience for you too.”